Horoscope Hotel

They have worked with multidisciplinary artist Amy Lord and fellow art students from Northumbria University to make zodiac themed doors for the Horoscope Hotel.

The nine Newcastle University students each made a door for the installation that represented their own star sign.

Emily Ford’s was Capricorn. She said: “My work highlights the sea goat’s complexity and draws from places where land meets sea—like beaches and caves—which are personally meaningful as I grew up in Scarborough.”

Kiera Ryan created a door for Aries. “Aries is the first sign in the astrological lineup, the spark that ignites the other signs” she said. “Therefore at the base of my door is a freshly lit fire to show that. I have tried to balance feelings of power and strength with nature and whimsy, seen through my use of grey and fiery red tones, balanced with iridescent paint and moss.”

Mia Griffiths designed the Virgo door. “While exploring the Zodiac sign Virgo, I learned that it’s often linked to themes of fertility — a connection that likely comes from its roots as an Earth sign. For my #HoroscopeHotel25 door, I brought these ideas to life using familiar symbols such as lambs, flowers, and pomegranates, all centred around a maiden figure inspired by Demeter, the Goddess of the Harvest.

"My piece draws on the elegant style of the Art Nouveau movement, with decorative borders and glowing halo-like elements framing the figure, giving the piece a timeless, mythical feel."

A perfect foundation

Amy Lord said: “Over the past few months, I’ve been working with a group of twelve Fine Art students from across all year groups at Northumbria and Newcastle universities. What makes this group particularly special is that together they represent every star sign — a perfect foundation for this project.

“Each student has used their zodiac sign as the lens for their creative decisions, inspirations, and artistic impulses, shaping the design and character of their individual doors. Throughout the process, they’ve shared ideas, exchanged methods, and supported one another through challenges such as material selection, weatherproofing, and the many unexpected hurdles that come with making artwork for the outdoors.

“Collectively, they’ve been on a journey — not just creating artworks, but learning what it means to bring a piece to life for a large-scale event like Enchanted City.”

Enchanted City is a new annual event which brings the magic of the universe to Newcastle for in an after-dark experience where art, performance and cosmic wonder collide. It includes show-stopping interactive installations, out-of-this-world projections, light art and live performances inspired by galaxies near and far.

Hosted on Northumbria University’s campus, it is funded by Newcastle City Council and the North East Combined Authority and runs until Sunday 14th December. Tickets are available here.